We always have cause to celebrate when a hard-working Search-No Boundaries participant gets a job. This time it feels personal because the employer, Hewn Artisan Bread, is a local business that has been building its disability awareness through direct, business-to-business contact with JJsList.com.  They are not only building a reputation as a rare recipe bread-maker, they are also building a great reputation as a disability-aware business!

It takes a team to make a great loaf of bread, so here’s what went down:

Anton – The Key Player

“First of all, the support team is great at both No Boundaries and Hewn because they work with me to make sure that it’s a comfortable environment for me to grow and learn from.  I am the dishwasher there and when things get complicated or fast-paced, they help me work out the process so that I can continue to do the job well.  In short, I really enjoy working at Hewn Bakery!”

Nura – No Boundaries Trainer

We began working with Anton a few weeks ago and he came to us with a smile on his face and a chest full of motivation, which is always one of the key components of success in the job-search program, whether or not someone is an individual with a disability.  Our goal was to talk to Anton about what his goals were and to develop some strategies to achieve those.  For Anton, it was about learning to focus and being diligent in order to make him a valuable component of a company’s operations.

Brooke – Employment Specialist

It is helpful to be friendly but when it comes to work, it’s more important to be diligent.  To work for someone is to enter into an agreement with them.

• The employer has a business to run and a product or service to put together in order for their consumers to purchase.
• The employee has the time, skills, and energy to be a part of developing that product or service and making it ready for purchase by a consumer.

Our job is to make sure that conversation takes place just as it’s outlined here.  It can be taken for granted but we make sure it’s not and that it takes place in a positive environment.

Hewn Artisan Bakery has been a part of our experience in our current location and it is our privilege to raise our relationship with them to another level by earning and continuing to keep their trust as a disability-friendly employer.

As we often like to say, JJsList.com facilitates communications between businesses and individuals with disabilities for the benefit of both.

This takes place in many ways; Job-Coaching through the Search, Inc. No Boundaries program, Reviews for Change, Social Media Engagement, Disability Awareness Training, and other strategies.

Benjamin Lachman is the Business and Community Engagement Coordinator for JJsList.com